Husband Barton Hill Townsend 1 2
Born: 23 Jun 1863 - Vandergrift, Westmoreland Co, PA 3
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Father: John Hill Townsend (1819-1882/1885) 3 4
Mother: Eliza Burkett ( -1895) 5
Marriage: 8 Mar 1886 6
Wife Ada J. Burkett 6
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Father: George Burkett ( - ) 6
Mother: Mary Schall ( - ) 6
Children
1 M Rex E. Townsend 6
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Died: Bef 1906
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2 M Grant B. Townsend 6
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Died: Bef 1906
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3 F Veryl M. Townsend 6
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4 F Mary E. Townsend 6
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General Notes: Husband - Barton Hill Townsend
He spent the early years of his life on his father’s farm, meanwhile acquiring a good education in the public schools of that section. On the death of his father the management of the farm fell into his hands, and he showed a great amount of executive ability, and conducted everything connected with it until the sale of the place in 1889. In the following spring he went to Apollo, Pennsylvania, and sought and obtained a position in the mills of the Apollo Iron and Steel Company, commencing at the bottom of the ladder as a laborer. Beginning in this way, however, enabled him to acquire a thorough and practical knowledge from the very start. His faithful performance of the duties entrusted to him soon brought about his advancement to the position of assistant heater in the hammer shop, and shortly after as assistant to the heater in the bar mill. From this he was promoted to be heater in the bar mill. After the strike of 1893 he was transferred to the sheet mills and was made a pair-heater and soon advanced to be sheet-heater. In November, 1896, on the opening of the new mills in Vandergrift, Mr. Townsend was transferred to them, and was one of the first residents of that town. He thus became a resident of a city which had been erected on the site of the farm on which he had been born and reared. In 1899 he was advanced to the position of sheet-roller. He was a man of great determination and force of character, and these qualities enabled him to make rapid strides in his calling. He was independent in his political opinions, casting his vote for the candidate whom he thought most suitable for the office to be filled. He served on the committee on streets for one term, and on February 20, 1906, was elected burgess of Vandergrift, to serve a term of three years. He was a member of the First Lutheran church, and also of Vandergrift Lodge, No. 1116, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Vandergrift Council, No. 1781, Royal Arcanum. He was also a member of the first town council of the borough of Vandergrift.